On Supreme Court steps, Santorum lumps Romney with Obama on health care

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CNN Political Unit

(CNN) – Shortly after lawyers argued fine points of judicial jurisdiction over the health care law before the Supreme Court Monday, presidential hopeful Rick Santorum litigated the law as a political issue in a press conference outside the high court.

"As I've said in this campaign, there is no more important issue" than the health reform law, he said. "There is one candidate in this race who can actually make the contrast that is necessary between the Republican position, the conservative position, and one that is overwhelmingly supported by the American public, and one that Barack Obama believes in - and that's Rick Santorum."

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Mitt Romney, the candidate said, is "uniquely disqualified to make the case" against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which many refer to as "Obamacare."

Santorum stood by his assessment on Sunday that Romney is the "worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama" in the November election" because of his health care stance.

"I don't regret it at all," Santorum said. "I said it here today. He's the worst candidate to go against Barack Obama on the most important issue of the day."

He suggested said the stinging rebuke he gave a reporter who questioned him on the comment was part of being a "real Republican," an argument he made Monday morning.

Santorum links the reform law Romney signed when governor of Massachusetts to the law Obama signed just over two years ago.

"This was a disaster in Massachusetts and then he had the audacity to go out in 2009 and argue that Barack Obama follow his lead. Unfortunately for the country, Obama did. President Obama did follow Mitt Romney's lead," Santorum said.

The candidate spoke as demonstrators - both for and against the health reform - rallied outside the court.

Also see:

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